Whether you’re fatigued because you’ve been on the road for hours or you’re feeling tired on the way home from work after a long day or week, being drowsy behind the wheel of a car can jeopardize your safety and the safety of others. The good news is that drowsy driving is preventable if you are aware of the risks.

Unfortunately, any driver who gets behind the wheel of a car in San Diego while tired may be too drowsy to concentrate appropriately. This can lead to endangering passengers, other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians also on the road. It can be devastating to realize too late that falling asleep at the wheel for even just a few seconds can cause life-lasting repercussions.

Even though 96% of Americans surveyed in a recent National Sleep Foundation study believed that it’s unacceptable for someone to stay behind the wheel of a car if they’re struggling to keep their eyes open, 1/3rd of Americans also recently admitted to engaging in this behavior themselves. Much like texting and driving, there is a nationwide understanding of the dangers of this behavior and yet it has not actually curbed the behavior in practice.

If you feel tired behind the wheel of a car, make sure to pull over and take a break or take a nap, if possible. Having someone else in the car who can take over driving for a little while may allow you to rejuvenate your senses so as to avoid drowsy driving. Using caffeine products can be helpful as a short-term solution, however, this will not keep you awake over the long term if you are excessively tired. It’s much better to pull over and avoid the potentially catastrophic impact of a severe car accident than to ever take the risk with drowsy driving.